Progressive Industries LC HW 50 Surge and Voltage Protection

[Keith Anderson]

I just installed this unit and am very happy to report that the installation was pretty easy. I'm not an electrician, but I do have a slight mechanical aptitude.
I chose this unit over the Surge Guard (34560) because of the more through protection, LED readouts, better warranty, covered design, less expensive and most of all the support I received from VIP Enterprise (Dave Sharkey). I called and asked questions before I purchased and Dave was very patient with me and all of my questions. Progressive does not sell direct. The routing of the 6 gauge wire was a little cramped inside the box. I'm not excited about the external connections with the Surge Guard. I'm sure the Surge Guard is a good unit, but it seemed that the Progressive Industries unit is better and less expensive. The unit scrolls through each legs voltage and current readings. The frequency and a final code, E-0 that says everything is hooked up correctly and working.
I like the key to bypass the voltage protection on the Surge Guard, where the LC HW 50 has a wire jumper that has to be removed. I hope I don't every have to use it. The LC HW 50 has separate components that can be replaced instead of the whole unit like the Surge Guard.

[Joe-K]

Hi Keith and welcome to iRV2.

I'm glad to hear you like your Progressive Industries unit. I agree with you that it has features that the more expensive Surge Guard doesn't have.

I installed the EMS HW 50Cin our motorhome last year and couldn't be happier with it. As you mentioned, the readout of voltage at the campground and various error displays make the unit user friendly.

If the manual bypass is something you'd not want to mess with, you may want to consider the model above as I can select the manual bypass by flipping a switch on the remote panel.

[NLOVNIT]

Joe-
I've wanted a surge guard on our coach since we got it. We just haven't stopped long enough to get one ordered or have the time to put it in. I got used to one on the 5-r,such peace of mind I'd like to have for our coach.

If it's ok, I'll have Dave get w/you while we're at Cutty's & maybe you can give your opinion on where we could mount one of these. "?"
L-

[troth]

Really nice review, Keith!

Thank you for your input!!!

[Joe-K]

Quote:

Originally posted by NLOVNIT: Joe- If it's ok, I'll have Dave get w/you while we're at Cutty's & maybe you can give your opinion on where we could mount one of these. "?" L-

You got it

[troth]

Quote:

while we're at Cutty's

-Just my two cents, but Cutty's is where you can really use a Surge protector, specifically for low voltage (brown out) protection. At least that's been my experience there during hot weather and everyone running their A/C...
Enjoy!

[ronboc]

on the Progressive EMS-50C too.

We were recently in a small park and had to try 3 different sites before we could find a 50-amp one that the EMS-50C 'liked' (kept telling me there was a bad leg on the others). The owner/manager got exasperated with me for refusing the other spots, but I persisted. As we left 2 days later, I noticed a back-hoe digging behind the main breaker-panel for that part of the park. Coincidence?

As Joe-K pointed out, the manual bypass is a good thing too. At the pad at home, mine kept 'triggering' on low-voltage sags in the neighborhood (I'm at the end of the power-line) during the summer in the early evenings, so I flipped it 'off' to see what would happen. Worked like a charm. Could come in handy sometime if you needed to stay connected but didn't mind low-voltage at times.

Ron

[DLBatz]

I installed my HW 30 amp unit this spring before we let for a 36 day trip to CA & back to IN. I agree with you all. It's the best thing since "Cracker Jack"�. We encountered two reversed polarity CG and in Minnesota we had low voltage (TV story advised the whole state has this problem). Progressive tech support was courteous, helpful and understanding when I called about something I missed in the installation.

It is nice to be able to leave the MH and not worry about electrical problems and to know when you get back if there have been any problems (monitor provides "past error"� codes also).

Remember, you should not bypass the EMS for low voltage if you are going to run any motorized or electronic equipment as low volatage can shorten their life span.

[Dale & Mark Bruss]

Our Progressive saved us from a high voltage situation.

The exact problem was a poor neutral that allowed voltage sag on one leg to cause higher voltage on the other leg. We were seeing spikes of up to 140 volts when the voltage climbed rapidly. The Progressive cuts out at 136 volts.

We were able to come up with a temporary solution. Without the Progressive, we may have fried some electronic equipment.

Plain surge protectors would not have protected up in the situation.

[Jestme13]

I also love ours, I bought it, and had it installed at the Hershey PA show. They are great folks and answered my questions when I reinstalled it on the new coach, what peace of mind. I recommend it

[cvrvr]

I installed a 50a SurgeGuard unit last summer. In August we took off for Canada. The first park we stayed in, the SurgeGuard unit kicked out. Took me a few minutes to figure out, the incoming power was 87 volts.

The SurgeGuard unit was doing its job.

George

[YosemiteBobR]

I just got one (progressive EMS HW 50c) for Christmas. Installing tomorrow New Years Day. Bought the extra remote for it so I can have one at the electrical bay, so as to check right away, and one in the coach to monitor daily. An easy install, have everything ready for tomorrow.

[CWHTRAINS]

How are you going to run the cable from the electrical bay to inside the coach for the second monitor? I bought the second remote as well to monitor inside, but haven't yet figured out a way to fish the wire to my control panel inside the motor home from the outside protector in the storage bin next to the transfer switch.

[YosemiteBobR]

Quote:

Originally posted by CWHTRAINS: How are you going to run the cable from the electrical bay to inside the coach for the second monitor? I bought the second remote as well to monitor inside, but haven't yet figured out a way to fish the wire to my control panel inside the motor home from the outside protector in the storage bin next to the transfer switch.

Clyton:
I did not go to the control panel. I have the one in the bay, then I ran the extra to the left of the driver seat on that console,with my scan guage and other gauger's at the driver seat. I figure I can see it there whenever I need to as easy as I can see it at the center control panel. With the entertainment center in the front of the coach I just figured it was best there.